Knitting machine



July 26, 1932. R. HILL 1,869,147

KNITTING MACHINE Fil ed March 1, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 26,1932. R. HILL 1,869,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 26, 1932. HlLL J 1,869,147

I KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 26, 1932. R. HILL KNITTING MACHINE Filed March 1, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 26, 1932 NITED BOSCOE HILL, F HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT & WILLIAMS,

INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. 2., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS KNITTING E Application iiled March 1,

This invention pertains to knitting machines and relates more particularly to machines of the'independent needle type having two sets of needles and means for transfer- 8 ring loops from the needles of one set to the needles of the other set. Such machines are useful, for example, in knitting stockings comprising a rib top and having in integral continuation thereof a plain fabric leg por- 10 tion, and wherein the ribbed top is knitted by the concurrent action of dial and cylinder needles, while the plain fabric is knitted by the cylinder needles alone. Mechanism of this general character and its mode of operation is adequately described in the patent to Scott No. 1,641,101 dated August 30, 1927, to which reference may be made for a more specific disclosure of such features as are not herein particularly illustrated.

In machines of the type shown in the above patent to Scott, the dial instrumentalities consist of two independently movable parts, each part having an actuating butt, one of said parts being a hook member, and the other a point member, the latter not only tale ing part in normal stitch formation but also functioning as a transfer device and being actuated at the proper time in the orderly sequence of knitting operations to take the last formed loop from the hook member and move it radially outward across the path of upward movement of apreviously idle cylinder needle which is then projected to enter its hooked portion into a dial loop, usually that next preceding that carried by the transfer point, whereupon the transfer point is retracted and with the corresponding hook member is retired within the needle verge, leaving a dial loop upon the cylinder needle.

The special operation of the dial instruments for thus transferring their loops to the cylinder needles is accomplished by cams mounted in the dial cam cap and which at the proper time and by suitable pattern controlled devices are advanced for cooperation with the butts of the dial instruments. To facilitate introduction of these transfer cams, the butts of the dial instruments are of two lengths and the cams are advanced in two stages, the first stage taking place during 1932. Serial No. 596,026.

the passage of the series of short butts, while the second stage of advance takes place during the passage of the long butts, the result being that the first long butt of the series is the first to be actuated by the transfer cams so as normally to transfer the loop of the corresponding dial instrument to a cylinder needle.

While under most circumstances the mechanism described in the said Scott patent is effective for its intended purpose,'I have observed that under certain conditions of use, and when dealing with certain yarns, there is a tendency for the machine now and then to drop the stitch which should normally be transferred from the first long butt dial instrument to the corresponding cylinder needle. Careful study of the operation of the machine seems to indicate that this difficulty in transferring the first stitch is due in part to the fact that when the first transfer point is protruded, it necessarily moves outward in opposition to the inward stress imposed upon the fabricby the spring band of the web holders, it being noted that at this time the web holders have been freed for abnormal inward movement for making a loose course preparatory to transfer. Thus the loop carried by this first transfer point is placed under very heavy strain so that it narrows and in fact becomes substantially closed, while the second loop, which should receive the cylinder needle, is also narrowed so that at the place where the cylinder needle should enter it, it is so nearly closed that even a very slight displacement of the needle or transfer point from proper relative position, as by bending of one or the other, may cause the needle to miss the loop. When the transfer cams are entered for engagement with the butts of the dial instruments, a lateral component of pressure is produced which tends to turn the dial slightly relatively to the'cylinder, and thus the slightest backlash between the parts results in causing the transfer point to move in a plane which is laterally displaced from the radial plane of the cylinder needle to which the loop'is to be transferred. The result is that sometimes, due for example to accumulation of several of these minor effects, the cylinder needle rises at one side of the narrowed end of the second loop and fails to enter such loop, so that when the transfer point is retracted the loop is dropped, thus forming a defect in the fabric. While this action is quite apparent as respects the first loop to be transferred, it does not occur after the first transfer point has been projected, since the projection of this first point takes so much of the load imposed by the web holder spring band that when the second point is projected it is able to carry its loop to the transfer position without undue stress and consequent loop narrowing.

While the defect above noted .may to a certain extent be overcome by bending the first cylinder needle to which transfer is to be made so that its hook portion lies'a little to one side of its normal radial plane and a little nearer to the center of the needle cylinder' than is its normal position, so as with certainty to enter the second stitch at a point where the latter hasnot been unduly narrowed, the use of this expedient is not permissible when plated work is to be done, since the misplaced needle hook tends to cause reversal of the plating yarns and con-- sequent defects in the fabric.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means useful in knitting either plated or unplated fabrics whereby the tendency of the machine to drop the first stitch during transfer is positively prevented. This object ll attain in a preferred embodiment of the invention by providing the butt of the hook member of the first dial instrument which is to transfer with a cutaway portion or recess,at the same time preferably recessing the retracting cam for the hook members of the dial instruments so that during transfer the first hook member will not be retracted completely within the dial verge, but will remain in position to retake the loop when the latter is released by the transfer point, if the cylinder needle has not properly entered the second loop. A special cam is provided for retracting the hook members of the dial instruments within the dial verge after the transfer operation has been accomplished.

- lln the accompanying'drawings wherein l have illustrated by way of example one desirable embodiment of means for attaining the above objects:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic and fragmentary vertical section, radially of the instrument dial, showing the position of the dial instruments during the taking of "the yarn by the hook member for the formation of a new stitch in the production of a loose course of rib fabric just prior to transfer;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to 1 showing the hook after it has been retracted to cast off and has again been partially advanced;

wearer Fig. 3 is, a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing the rib loop as engaged with the transfer notch of the'point member preparatory to transfer;

' Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the transfer point as fully projected and the hook member as retracted, in accordance with the mode-of operation described in the above Scott patent;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. a, showing the transfer of the rib loop to the cylinder needle as having been successfully completed;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan View of the forming edge of the fabric to large scale, showing the normal procedure in successfully transferring loops from the dial to the cylinder needles; Y

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the result of the failure of the cylinder needle to enter the dial loop for transfer;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating the cause of the failure of the cylinder needle to take the dial loop;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic elevation, to large scale and looking in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 8, showing the cylinder needle rising at one side of the dial loop so that it is unable to enter the loop;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the dial cam cap constructed in accordance with the present invention, and showing all of the cams carried thereby in operative position;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 5, but showing the position of the dial hook. member during the transfer in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a View substantially on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10 showing the position of the hook member of the dial instruments when fully retractedby a special cam placed in the dial cam cap for this purpose;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view of the dial and cylinder, showing the arrangement of long and short butt hlitting instruments therein;

Fig. 14 is a section to large scale, substantially on the line 14-14 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 15 is a horizontal section through one of the grooves of the dial, illustrating a composite dial instrument of preferred and improved construction.

Referring to the drawings, in whichcorresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters as in the patent to Scott No. 1,641,101. above referred to, the dial is indicated at D. This dial is provided with the usual substantially radial slots or grooves for t e reception of a series of dial knitting instruments. As here disclosed, each of these dial instruments is of composite type comprising a pair of independently movable parts, to wit, ahook member a and a point or transfer member Z). The members a and b are furnished with actuating butts for eng g m nt with cams supported on or guided alteration, for example,

by the dial cam ca D, and to facilitate entry and withdrawal 0 certain of said cams at the proper times the dial instruments are divided into long and short butt series. Thus, a series of the hook members a are furnished with long butts n" and a preceding series with short butts 709", while the point members I) have corresponding long and short butts n and n respectively. Ordinarily, theleading long butt instrument is that at which the transfer or other operation is initiated.

Preferably, each of the members a and b of a composite dial instrument is independently fricti'oned in its dial groove so that movement ofone of said members may be wholly independent of that of the other. As more particularly illustrated in Fig. 15 the member b has an elongate slightly bent spring tail ortion n which is received in a groove n in the lateral face of the corresponding hook member a. The bend of the tail member n" bears against the wall of the dial groove so as frictionally to retain the member 12 in any position in which it may be left by its actuating cams. The rear portion of the hook member a is thinned down and deflected laterally at n so as to friction the hook member in its groove.

At its forward end each hook member a has the bight receiving hook n (Fig. 3) and to the rear of this hook its upper surface is grooved at n (Figsi2- and 14) for the reception and guidance of the lower edge of the head portion of the corresponding point member I), said head rtion having the ackwardly extending point n (Fig. 2) and the forwardly directed transfer point a.

As fully described in said Scott patent, the machine preferably comprises two sets of cylinder needles, for example, needles 1:.

which are ever-active needles, forming stand- .ing wales in the fabric, and needles n in with the needles 1:. and which are idle during rib knitting. Each needle n is disposed substantially in the radial plane of one of the dial instruments which equal in number the needles n. In changing from rib to plain knitting, loops previously held by or formed upon the dial hook members are transferred to the corresponding needles n as hereinafter more fully described vPreferably to assist in tensioning the forming fabric, web holders w are employed, each such web holder being disposed in a radial plane midway between a pair of adjacent needles n and n and being urged inwardly by the usual sprin band (not shown), while the dial is pre erably furnished with downwardly directed fins d interposed between the needles 'n and n, and so on. The cylinder needles and web holders are actuated in the manner fully described in the patent to Scott. The dial instruments are actuated by cams in the dial cam cap corresponding in general to, those of the Scott patent but with. certain variations hereinafter described.

The dial instrument cams are illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 10. The dial cam cap D carries cam rings d definin between them a broad concentric groove 7 for the reception of the instrument butts a", 113, n, and n. The cams 10, 12, 13 and 14 are concerned with the normal knitting upon the dial instruments. 10, 12 and 13 are movable into and out of operative position in two stages under the control of suitable pattern controlled actuating connections, while the dividing cam 14 may be stationary. Portions 10", 10, 15

"etc. of the walls of the groove (1', are shaped to cooperate with the earns 10, 12, 13 and 14 in the normal knitting operation.

For transferring loops or bights formed upon the dial instruments to the cylinder needles, the cams 16 and 17 are provided, said cams cooperating with cam surfaces 19, 19*, etc., of the wall of the cam groove (1.

Preferably, the cams The cams 16 and 17 are movable into and V out of operative posit-ion, preferably in two stages, by means of suitable pattern controlled connections, all as more fully described in the Scott patent.

In accordance with the present invention the inner end of the cam14 is either cut away to the full depth of the cam, or part way, as shown, to provide a recess 14 for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained, while an additional cam 14*, fixed in position if desired, is arranged at a convenient point preferably immediately following the position of the knitting cam 10.

In accordance with the present invention the outer part of the actuating butt n (Figs. 11 and 12) ,of the leading long butt hook member a of the dial instruments is cut away to provide a recess 17. so that when the recessed portion of this butt is enga ed by the retracting cams 14 and 17 of the ial cam cap, its corresponding hook member is not retracted to the normal extent of retraction of the other book members. In Figs. 11 and 12 the numeral n designates the butt of the transfer member 1) corresponding to the hook member a which has the recessed butt 1000 In the orderly operation of the machine, assuming that the transfer cams 16 and 17 are out of action; that the dial knitting cams 10, 12 and 13 are at their innermost operative position; that the alternate cylinder needles n are in action while the interspersed needles n are out of action, and that the machine has started to produce ribbed fabric by, the cooperation of the dial instruments with the cylinder needles n, and that the dial instruments form stitches b draw-' ing upon bights of yarn extending between ad acent cylinder needles to which the yarn is first fed from the .yarn guides, the final steps in the fort .ation on the ribbed fabric just prior to transfer are illustrated 1n Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1 the point n" of the member 7) 1s holding the bight f which when cast ofl will form a stitch of the .first loose course preparatory to transfer, while the corresponding hook member 11. is taking a new bight for the formation of a stitch of the second loose course i In Fig. 2 the hook n is considered to have been retracted to draw its stitch and then to have advanced slightly while holding a bight of the stitch f, while the stitch f has been knocked over, by the action of the point member 12, onto the stitch i the proper motions of the dial instruments being accomplished by the action of the dial knitting cams. At this point it may be observed that when the knitting cams are in their innermost operating position all of the dial instruments, including the leading long butt hook member having the butt n are re- ,tracted to the normal extent during each passage past the cams.

During rib knitting the cam 12 acts to roject the point members I), the cam 13 proects the hook members a, the cam 10 projects the point members .6 and retracts the hook members a, and the cam 14 acts to divide the butts of the hook members a from the butts of the point members I) as they approach the knitting cams, and also to retract any misplaced hook members.

When the loose courses have been completed and transfer is to be initiated, the cams 16 and 17 are first entered part way during passage of the short butts n and n of the dial instruments and initiate the transfer operation at the leading long butt instrument having the butts a and 71. The first effect of the introduction of these cams is to project the hook member a by cam 16 (Fig. 3) and to retract the point member 6 by the cam member 19a so as to carry the end n of the point member I) beneath the bight of loop 7 upon the hook member as shown in Fig. 3. Thereupon the. inner surface of cam 17 retracts the hook member a while the outer face of cam 17 projects the point member 6 with parts occupy the position shown in Fig. 4. At this time the idle cylinder needles n are brought into action beginning with the leading needle n which now raises and if the parts were accurately positioned and the loops f and f properly open, the head of the needle would pass up through the loop f :as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. As the head end of needle n normally moves in the same radial plane asthe point member 6, it is necessary for them to spring laterally to enable them to pass, and to facilitate this action the point member may be beveled as shown at n, Fig. 2.

The point member I) is now retracted by the action of cam member 19", thus leaving the transferred loop' upon the cylinder a as shown in Fig. 5, it being understood that following the transfer to the leading needle 120, successive dial instruments will transfer their loops to the corresponding cylinder needles until the transfer operation is complete.

While the entry of the cylinder needle into a loop held in proper position by the transfer point is the normal and usual action, it sometimes happens for reasons, inter alia, as above explained that the leading cylinder needle 12"" will pass up at one side of the loop 7* as illustrated in Fig. 8. Thus, when the transfer point is retracted, as shown in Fig. 7, the loop which it was'intended to transfer will be dropped, since the hook n, from which the final loop 7 was removed, has now been retracted so that when the loop f is released by retraction of the transfer point it drops and produces a defect in the fabric. j I

In accordance with the present invention the occurrence of such defect is positively prevented as will now be described. When as above noted, the transfer cams are first introduced, they advance only part way in, and thus while effective to actuate the-usual long butts of thedial instruments in the normal intended fashion, the inside surface of cam 17 fails to retract the recessed butt n of the leadin' .long butt hook member a. Moreover, as t e cam 14 is cut away, or has a recess 14* at its inner end, the recess a in said butt n 9 prevents complete retraction of the leading long butt hook member a as it passes the cam 14. Thus, following the projection of the point member 6 to present a loop for engagement by cylinder needle a the hook n of the leading long butt hook member a is left in partially projected position (Fig. 11) so that'if the leading c linder needle n fail to enter the loop f, t e loop 7 when'relt-ased by retraction of the point member n will drop directly back upon the hook n and will thus be retained and prevented from forming a drop stitch.

As stated, the transfer cams are initially moved part Way in as the short buttsof the dial instruments are passing and begin to act upon the leading long butt, and as the long butts now pass the knitting cams of the dial, the latter are partially withdrawn so as to complete the knitting action on the last long butt instruments. Thus, the long butt dial instruments again take yarn and knit off after transfer as described in the Scott patent, the dial knitting-cams being fully withdrawn during the following passage of the short butts while the transfer cams which were fully entered during the passage of the long butts remain in their fully projected position to transfer the last bights received at the yarn feed. In passing the cam 14 which is of full depth, the leading long butt n is fully retracted, together with the butts of the other members a, and'on the next rotation of the dial, the long butt n is actuated by the now fully entered transfer cams in the same way as the other long butts as it passes the transfer point. I

It is to be noted that the above noted defect in operation, which the present invention is designed to overcome is substantially confined to that wale of the knitted fabric at which transfer is first attempted, the conditions of extreme tension imposed upon the first yarn loop to be projected for transfer narrowing it abnormally so that it sometimes fails to transfer. However, after this first loop has beenprojected by the transfer instrum'ent, the strain on the fabric is so distributed laterally that succeeding stitches are not unduly narrowed and so are transferred with certainty to the cylinder needles.

Accordingly, if, by the present arrangement,-

the loop which should initially have been transferred fails to land upon the cylinder needle and the final dial loop is restored to the dial hook, the transfer from said dial hook will subsequently be efiected with the same certainty as that from other dial hooks when said leading long butt dial instrument is again presented for normal operation at the transfer point upon the next rotation of the machine.

While certain desirable arrangements of parts have herein been described by way of example, and while the invention has been illustrated as embodied in a circular independent needle machine, the principle of operation is obviously of broader utility and capable of being carried into effect by other and specifically different means and I regard all such applications of the principle, whether to this or other types of machine and whether by the use of similar or equivalent devices as falling within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine of the kind having two sets of instrumentalities adapted to cooperate for knitting ribbed fabric, means for transferring loops made by one set of said instruments to instruments of the other set, and means operative, upon failure of an instrument of the latter set to take a loop ,presented for transfer, to restore the loop which was removed from the instrument of the other set preparatory to such transfer.

- 2. A knitting machine of the kind having two sets of hook members for receiving bights of yarn, said sets of hook members being adapted to cooperate in knitting ribbed fabric, means for removing a loop from the hook member of one set preparatory to transferring a loop formed upon said latter hook member to a hook member of the other set,

and means operative to restore a loop to the hook member from which the loop was removed if the hook member of the other set fails to receive the loop which it was intended to transfer thereto.

3. A knitting machine having two sets of instruments, means normally operative during the production of a predetermined course of stitches to transfer a loop formed upon an instrument of one set to an instrument of the other set, and means operative upon failure so to transfer said loop during the knitting of said predetermined course to effect transfer at the same instruments during a subsequent course.

4. A knitting machine having cylinder needles and dial instruments, means normally operative during the production of a predetermined circular course of stitches to transfer a loop formed by a selected dial instrument to a corresponding cylinder needle, and means operative, upon failure so to transfer said loop during the knitting of said predetermined course, to retain said loop and effect its transfer to the corresponding cylinder needle during the knitting of a subsequent course. i

5. A knitting machine having two instruments each adapted to receive successive bights of yarn in the formation of a knitted fabric, means operative to remove a bight from one such instrument and to hold it in such a position as should normally permit entry of said second instrument into a bight previously upon first instrument, and means for causing said first instrument to retake the bight removed therefrom upon failure of the second instrument to take the bight intended to be transferred thereto.

6. A knitting machine having two hooked instruments, each adapted to receive successive bights of yarn in the formation of a knitted fabric, a transfer device associated with one of said hooked instruments and operative to remove the last bight of yarn therefrom and to dispose said bight in such position as should normally permit entry of the second hooked instrument into a bight previously upon the first hooked instrument, and means for maintaining the first hooked instrument in such a position during the transfer operation as to retake a bight previously thereon on failure of the second hooked instrument to take the bight intended therefor.

7. A knitting machine of the kind having a cylinder and a dial, needles in'the cylinder and cams for'actuating them to knit, knitting instruments in the dial, each comprising a hook member and a transfer member, means for actuating the transfer member of a dial instrument to remove the loop from the corresponding hook member and move it to such a position as should normally permit a cylinder needle to enter a loop originally held p by said dial hook member, and means for positioning said dial hook member to re-' take the loop removed therefrom upon subsequent retraction of the transfer member if the cylinder needle fails to take the loop intended to be transferred thereto.

8. Aknitting machine of the kind having acylinder and a dial, needles in the cylinder and cams for actuating them to knit, knitting instruments in the dial, each comprising a hook member and a transfer member, means for actuating the transfer member of a dial instrument to remove the loop from the corresponding hook member and to move it to such a position as should normally permit a cylinder needle to enter a loop previously held by said dial hook member, and means operative to prevent drop-' ping of the first loop presented for transfer if said loop is not taken by the instrumentaloity to which it is presented.

- 9. A knitting machine of the kind having a cylinder and a dial, needles in the cylinder and cams for actuating them to knit, knitting instruments in the dial, each comprising a hook member and a transfer member, means for actuating the transfer member of a dial instrument to remove the loop from the corresponding hook member and moveit to such a position as should normally permit a cylinder needle to enter a loop previously held by said dial hook member, and means operative to retain the hook member, from which the loop is removed, in position to retake said loop upon failure to take it by the hook member to which it is presented.

10. A knitting machine of the kind having a cylinder and a dial, needles in the cylinder and cams for actuating them to knit, knitting instruments in the dial, each comprising a hook member and a transfer member, means for actuating the transfer member of a dial instrument to remove the loop from the corresponding hook member and move it to such a position as should normally permit a cylinder needle to enter a loop previously held by said dial hook member, cam means operative to retract normal hook members after transfer, and means for positioning the first dial hook member at which the transfer operation is initiated'so as to retake the loop removed therefrom if the cylinder needle fails to enter the loop intended to be transferred, said positioning means comprising a recessed actuating butt on said first hook member.

11. A circular knitting machine having a cylinder and dial, bight receiving instrumentalities in the cylinder and dial, respectively, means operative to remove a bight from a selected dial instrument and to present a bight originally on said dial instrument in a position such as should normally enable a cylinder instrument to enter said bight, means operative to restore to said selected dial instrument the loop removed therefrom if the cylinder needle fails to enter the loop presented thereto, and means operative during the next rotation of the machine again to remove a bight from said selected dial instrument and present a bight from said instrument to the corresponding cylinder needle.

12'. A knitting machine of the kind having a cylinder and a dial, needles in the cylinder and cams for actuating them to knit, knitting instruments in the dial, each comprising a hook member and a transfer member, means for actuating the transfer member of a dial instrument to remove the loop from the corresponding hook member and move it to such a position as should normally permit a cylinder needle to enter a loop previously held by said dial hook member, each of the hook members having an actuating butt, a cam for engagement with said butts for retracting the hook members, the butt of that first hook member at which transfer is initiated having a recess, and the cam having a portion cut away at its inner end, said recessed butt and cut-away cam cooperating to prevent complete retraction of said first hook member during the transfer operation whereby to position said hook to retake the loop removed therefrom if the cylinder needle fails to take the loop intended therefor.

13. A knitting machine of the kind having a cylinder and a dial, needles in the cylinder and cams for actuating them to knit, knitting instruments in the dial, each comprising a hook member and a transfer member, means for actuating the transfer member of a dial instrument to remove the loop from the corresponding hook member and move it to such a position as should normally permit a cylinder needle to enter a loop previously held by said dial hook member, each of said hook members having'an of long butts being succeeded by a series of short butts, a retracting cam adapted to be actuating butt, a series entered during passage of the short butts whereby initially to become effective upon the leadin long butt, said leading long butt hook mem r being that at which the transfer operation is initiated, the leading long butt having a recess therein, and the butt engaging surface of the retracting cam bein so positioned, as in cooperation with said recessed butt, to leave the leading long butt hook in a projected position such as to retake the loop removed therefrom if the cylin! der needle fails to receive the loop intended to be transferred thereto.

14. A knitting machine of the class described having two series of hooked members, each adapted to receive bights during the formation of a knitted fabric, means for removing a bight from the leading hooked member of one series preparatory to transferring a bight formerly upon said hooked bers, -each adapted to receive bights during the formation of a knitted fabric, means for removing a bight from the leading hooked member of one-series preparatory to transferring a bight originally upon' said hooked member to a corresponding hooked member of the other series, means for positioningsaid leading hooked member to retake the bight removed therefrom if the designated hooked member of the other series fails'to receive its intended bight, and means operative thereafter to supply a new yarn bight to said leading hooked member and to transfer the first bight to the corresponding hooked member of the other series.

'16. A circular knitting machine of the class described having cylinder needles, and dial knitting instruments including hook members of the dial having long and short butts arranged in corresponding series, means for removing a bight from the leading long butt hook member and for holding a bight once upon said hook member in a position such as should normally permit entry of the 1 corresponding cylinder needle, means for abnormally actuating' said leading long butt hook member during the transfer operation to permit it to retake the bight removed therefrom if the transfer operation fails, and

means for again removing a bight from the long butt hook member when next it passes the transfer point. s

17. A circular knitting machine of the class described having cylinder needles, and dial knitting instruments including hook members, the hook members-of the dial hav ing lon and short butts arranged'in corresponding series, means" for removing a bight from the leading long butt hook member and'for holding a bight once upon said hook member in a position such as should normally permit entry of said bight by the corresponding cylinder needle, means for abnormally actuatingthe leading long butt hook member during the transfer operation to permit it to retake the bi ght removed therefrom if the transfer operation fails, means for causing said leading long butt hook member to receive yarn and knit before returning to the transfer point, and means for causing said leading long butt hook member to transfer its retained bights when next pass ing the transfer point. I

1%. A circular knitting machine of the class described having cylinder needles, and dial knitting instruments including hook members, the hook members of the dial having long and short butts arranged in successive series, means designed to transfer a bight originally upon the leading long butt hook member to a cylinder needle, and means operative, upon failure so to transfer, to cause said leadin long butt hook member totransfer a bigt to the cylinder needle in its next passage by the transfer point.

19,. A circular knitting machine of the W class described having cylinder needles, and dial knitting instruments including hook members, the hook members of the dial having long and short butts arranged in series, and means normallyoperatlve to remove the last bight from the leading long butt hook member and to transfer a bight originally upon the leading long butt hook member to a cylinder needle in passing a predetermined failure to transfer at said point to cause the leadinglong butt hook member to retake its last bightin its hook. I 20. A circular knitting machine 'of the class described having cylinder needles and dial instruments including hook members, the hook members of the dial instruments having long and short butts arran ed in successive series, the leading long utt hook member havinga recess is its butt, means for removing the bights held by successive hook members as they pass a predetermined transfer 1 point and for presenting bights originally upon said hook members to corresponding cylinder needles, a cam engagetransfer point,. and means operative upon able with the butts of the hook members to retract said members during the transfer operation, said cam being so constructed and arranged as, in cooperation with the recessed butt of the leading long butt hook member, I

to leave the latter in abnormal projecting position during the transfer operation wherey to enable it to retake'the bight removed from itif the transfer operation fails, and

means operative fully to retract said leading long butt hook member before it again reaches the transfer point. p

Signed by me at Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, this 27th day of February, 1932.

' ROSCOE HILL. 

